***Official 2012-13 MLB HOTSTOVE OFF-SEASON THREAD***

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Yikes.

 

Nice signing.

 

If this falls through, what are the remains options for the Sox 1st basemen?? Could Papi be manning it all season!?!? that would be comical....

 

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No Ortiz wouldn't play 1st full time, he probably will only play it a handful of times when they play in NL parks with the right match ups.

As far as this falling through who knows. We need to remember that it took the Sox 53 days work something out with JD Drew when they didn't like what they saw in his MRI and he turned out fine. We simply have zero idea what's wrong with Napoli, it could be something minor or major. I still think the deal will get done but the terms might be different or the Sox might just have a lot of insurance on the deal. It's nothing to worry about until there's something to worry about.

The one thing is the Sox are at a power position with this. If Napoli walks away from the deal then there's no way he gets anything close to what the Sox are offering as teams will look at him as damaged goods. He'd probably only get a 1 year deal to prove he's healthy. In the end I think this gets worked out and maybe the 3rd year is a team/player option that vests with games played or no major injury or maybe there's an opt out clause for the team/player.

IF the deal falls through then the Sox probably have to look to someone outside the organization via trade as I don't think you'll see them signing LaRoche. Maybe they'll sign a Carlos Lee for a year and hope for the best or go after Morneau if he's available. Something like that. The only one in their organization they could give a shot to would be Jerry Sands but I doubt they go in that route.

 

I actually don't hate this deal for some reason and I probably should. Good gamble.

 

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OT but newsworthy


Lance McAlister ‏@LanceMcAlister
Former #Reds INF/OF Ryan Freel commits suicide

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/topst...er-Big-Leaguer-from-Jax-Ryan-Freel-Dead-at-36

 

Swisher to the Indians for a possible 5 year deal ( vesting option).. Amazing he barely had anyone interested and yet got a possible 5th year.

 

Sucks for NY actually, Cleveland has a protected first round pick, so the Yanks get that pick at the end of the 2nd round....he wanted 18 only got 14 and thats even with Either getting his money and I think Swish is a better ballplayer than Andre.....

Got to wonder where Bourn is going to get his money from.....I would bet the Rangers at this point..

 

I could be wrong but with the new CBA the Yankees were always going to get a pick at the end of the 2nd round. The team no longer gets the other team's 1st round pick.

And yes the Ethier contract looks worse and worse each day.

 

If not protected, they would have had the compensatory pick at the end of the 1st.....that was the way BDH always explained it...

 

ohhhh okay so the top 10 get to still pick in their respective spots but still have to compensate the pick.....

great news actually.....the Yanks are going to have 3 picks in the top 40 I would gather or thereabouts.....man they have to hit these picks....

 

Because at 4 years and 56M he just bent over the indians! Guys shouldnt be getting half that. Seeing that made me happy that the Mets have no money to spend right now because thats a Mets signing if ever there was one under the previous regime.

 

Blue Jays are the Favorite in the East

and for those interested in the WBC

 

Felix or **** off.

 

Call me crazy but I wouldn't trade Michael Stanton for King Felix if I were the Marlins. I'd much rather have Stanton due to age, salary flexibility etc.

 

We wouldn't take Felix, unless our plan is to trade him after trading for him.

 

Quote:
@Ken_Rosenthal: Lots of interest in #Marlins' Stanton, but sources all but rule out a deal. One source says chances are "as close to zero as they can be."
/Twitter

 

Not a single player voted in HoF, why am I not surprised?

I thought McGriff/Morris/Piazza probably deserved the nod, maybe Rock Raines as well, but oh no.

 

It's an embarrassment that no one was elected to the HOF this year. This has nothing to do with anything but the majority of writers wanting attention by saying they filled out a blank ballot.

But really you think McGriff and Morris deserve a nod? Piazza and Raines absolutely but neither McGriff or Morris is even close.

 

So you wouldn't have an issue if let's say Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Derek Jeter and/or Mariano Rivera didn't get in? Guilty by association right?

 

The fact that Bonds didn't get it in is an embarrassment. What a bunch of idiots.

 

Yes I do, if the steroid era tainted Raf P and McGwire etc, that makes him the best 1st basemen of the era.

"If" what they did, does not count, then move McGriff up the list, they seem to be trying to have it both ways.

Morris as well, I know you don't like that choice, I however do.

 

Jeff Bagwell was a much better player than McGwire, McGriff and Palmeiro too. The fact he's not in is a joke too. And even IF McGriff was the 3rd best 1B of that era, that doesn't automatically mean he should be in. Just because someone thinks using PEDs is automatically disqualifying them from the HOF it doesn't mean we should let the next best guy in, especially if the numbers just aren't there.

Make a case for Morris being in the HOF. He doesn't have the numbers and IF he gets in he would have the highest ERA of any pitcher in the HOF. He never won a Cy Young award, only got I believe 4 1st place Cy Young votes. He was a good pitcher, not a great one. One game doesn't make you a HOFer.

 

Don't forget Clemens too.

 

Thing with that is Bagwell is under the same PED cloud.

With those 3 off of the board, McGriff then becomes the next guy up so to speak, and he is HoF worthy.

Heh, b/c Morris literally was a miserable, moody, bastid, sports writers of that era despised him.

 

Well except the fact that McGriff wasn't better than Frank Thomas so that bumps him down to at least the 4th best 1B, which is debatable as well. But again the witch hunt for Bagwell is wrong as his name was never mentioned in any PED reports or rumors. Again guilty by association. Still though I don't understand the logic of voting McGriff in as his numbers simply aren't good enough. He was a really good player for a long time but this is the HOF we're talking about here.

So it's because Morris was miserable and moody that he's never won a major award? Which years did he get robbed out of the Cy Young or MVP voting? Again though his numbers just aren't good enough. He has a career 3.90 ERA (in the non PED era), a career 105 ERA+, 5.8 K/9? Not saying those stats are the be all or end all but just go down his stat line, it's just not good enough.

Seriously though, I asked for reasons why he's a HOFer not excuses. Let's hear your reasons why he is one. And while you're at it let's hear your argument for McGriff too.

 

Thomas eventually switched to DH, he had bad shoulders iirc.

morris also has 300 wins, more than Byleven, who also made it in.

 

I didn't, TBH. He's a horrible player to leave out but Bonds pisses me off more. He's arguably the greatest player ever, top 3 for sure.

He's a Hall of Famer in my book.